KATHMANDU, May 9: Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava has expressed gratitude to Nepal for its support to India’s fight against terrorism following the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam area of Kashmir in India.
“We are grateful for Nepal’s stance and solidarity,” said Ambassador Srivastava during an interaction organized at the Indian Embassy on Friday evening to brief on the prevailing situation. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had earlier called his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and expressed that “terrorism is a shared challenge.”
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Referring to the conversation between the two prime ministers, Ambassador Srivastava said he had also spoken with Prime Minister Oli on Friday and with Foreign Minister Dr Arzu Rana Deuba the day before. He welcomed Nepal’s position on the matter.
Thanking the government and major political parties for their support, Ambasador Srivastava emphasized that “terrorism is a common concern for all.” He said the attack in Pahalgam prompted a measured response from India, which deliberately avoided further escalation. However, he noted that the next move now rests with Pakistan.
Highlighting the impact of the attack, Ambassador Srivastava mentioned that Kashmir had welcomed 25 million tourists just last year. He also expressed concern over the fact that the attack appeared to be motivated by religious bias. “The perpetrators will not go unpunished,” he stated. “Our response was purely a countermeasure against the attack.”
Srivastava further clarified that while India does not seek to escalate the situation, it reserves the right to respond appropriately. The ambassador also assured that Nepal’s supply systems would not be affected despite the ongoing tensions.
